Five Common Shelter Myths Debunked

Did you know that November 5th – 11th, 2018 was National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week? To celebrate, we asked our community members to help us dispel common shelter myths and help us recognize the amazing work being done to help Rochester’s pets in need. Each day of the week, we asked our online communities a question related to a common misconception about shelters and shelter pets, and tracked the results. Take a look at what we found!

Question 1: Because of support from friends like you and the dedicated team at Lollypop Farm, how many animals would you estimate were given second chances in 2017 alone?

Many of our followers who voted in this first poll (81%, to be exact), answered correctly! In 2017 alone, Lollypop Farm found happy homes for 6,059 homeless and abused pets in our community. From cats, to dogs, to iguanas, every single animal who arrives at the shelter is treated as an individual with unique needs. For this first day of Shelter Appreciation Week, we chose to celebrate the staff, volunteers, and supporters of Lollypop Farm who make second chances possible for so many pets in need.

Question 2: True or False: there is no time limit for pets at Lollypop Farm while they wait for their new homes.

The answer is true! Pets waiting for homes at Lollypop Farm can take as long as they need to find their perfect match, so long as they’re happy and healthy with a good quality of life. Horace is a 5-year-old cat who waited over 8 months to find his purrrrfect person. Early on during Shelter Appreciation Week, Horace went home. We’re so happy for this kitty and his new family! Out of 429 votes, 71% of voters correctly navigated this common shelter myth.

Question 3: True or False: when you adopt from an animal shelter, you don’t really know much about your new pet or if they will be a good fit for your lifestyle.

The answer is false! When you make the choice to adopt a pet from a shelter, you can actually learn a lot about your new family member before bringing them home. From the information provided by the previous owners, to what our Behavior and Training Team gleans from working with pets, to the medical history and care recommendations our veterinary team provides, you can bring home a shelter pet and feel confident that they will be a great match for your lifestyle. There are so many benefits to choosing to adopt! This poll yielded great results – 84% of voters agreed that you can indeed learn a lot about your new pet when you choose to adopt.

Question 4: True or False: all shelter pets available for adoption are old.

We’re happy to settle this quandary – it’s definitely a myth! Interested adopters can find pets of all walks of life at Lollypop Farm. This is particularly true during certain times of year, for example, kitten season in the spring and summer when more kittens generally arrive at animal shelters in large numbers.

It’s also important to remember that while kittens and puppies are absolutely adorable, there are SO many benefits to adopting a senior pet! Check them out now: lollypop.org/simple-pleasures-joy-adopting-senior-pet. This question must have been a giveaway – 97% of voters already knew that there is a wide variety of pets of all ages available at animal shelters.

Question 5: True or False: 75% of Lollypop Farm’s operating budget comes directly from donations by community members like you.

The answer is true, and we clearly couldn’t trick our Facebook followers – 95% of voters knew that Lollypop Farm relies on the support from friends like you to continue helping homeless and abused pets in our community. And right now, thanks to the generosity of animal lovers Ray and Erika Hutch, your holiday gift will be matched up to $50,000, from now until the end of the year! You can help us save twice as many pets in need.

While some of these questions are specific to Lollypop Farm, they are often the case for many other animal shelters. We’d like to thank not only the shelter professionals working to find loving homes for homeless pets in our community, but also the adopters who make the choice to open their heart and their home to pets in need. Also, a big thanks to everyone who voted during National Shelter Appreciation Week, and helped us to dispel these common shelter myths and misconceptions!

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Donate with confidence! Lollypop Farm, the Humane Society of Greater Rochester, is registered as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Contributions to Lollypop Farm are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. The tax identification number for The Humane Society of Rochester and Monroe County PCA, Inc. is 16-0743047.

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